Reflecting on the nomination, Catherine commented: "It's great news to have been shortlisted for RIBA Journal's Rising Stars 2024. It is testament to the innovative and important work that is being undertaken at SPACE in collaboration with Northumbria University, creating a tool and a framework to reduce whole life carbon from the earliest phase of a design."
Catherine is a proactive advocate for integrating whole-life carbon analysis early in the design process. Her insights on this topic are informed by her experiences working across the industry, where she observed a need for more focus on carbon reduction during the critical early design stages.
"I was very surprised at how, across the industry, very little thought is given to whole life carbon during the early stages when it can make the most difference,"she notes.
This approach to addressing the industry's gaps exemplifies Catherine's dedication to creating meaningful change. She believes that incorporating carbon analysis from the outset is essential to optimising design decisions and mitigating environmental impact.
"Incorporating carbon analysis into the early stages of design is essential for mitigating environmental impact and creating truly sustainable buildings. By integrating these considerations from the outset, we can optimise design decisions and pave the way for a more sustainable future," she emphasises.
